Emerson Showcased Industrial Automation for Continuous AI Data Center Operations at Data Center Korea 2026

Emerson participated in Data Center Korea 2026, held November 4–6 at the aT Center (Yongje, Seoul). Under the theme «Advancing Data Center Efficiency & Uptime,» the company presented integrated automation solutions that adapt industrial experience in measurement, valves, and control to the conditions of AI data centers.

Why AI Data Centers Require an Industrial Approach

Unlike commercial buildings, AI data centers are characterized by sharp electrical load fluctuations, variable cooling demands, and changing operating modes of engineering systems. Ensuring year-round continuous operation requires accuracy, durability, and reliability at the level of industrial installations.

Self-Diagnostics and Predictive Maintenance

Conventional instruments only transmit the current process value without indicating accuracy degradation or malfunction. Emerson's smart measurement instruments additionally report on sensor condition, pipeline fouling, and degradation of measurement characteristics. Digital valve controllers continuously analyze friction, response, and actuator condition, signaling the need for maintenance before failure.

As part of predictive maintenance, the company offers continuous condition monitoring of key assets—instruments, valves, pumps, fans—to identify degradation trends before breakdown. Testing standby systems in idle mode reduces risk during switchover, while rapid localization of a faulty node minimizes operational impact.

The AMS Asset Monitor platform is used for analyzing vibration and process data, while AMS Device Manager provides centralized management of diagnostic information. Both tools are used for maintenance planning, root-cause analysis of failures, and decisions on restoring normal operation.

Integrated Energy Management

Emerson emphasizes that reducing load on individual nodes or excessively lowering operating modes yields short-term savings but increases the risk of degradation and failures in the long term. To balance efficiency and stability, the company demonstrated the Ovation EMS energy system, which coordinates the operation of generating units, battery energy storage systems (BESS), distribution systems, and primary loads.

Alongside the EMS, precise measurement and flow control instruments were presented, ensuring energy and water delivery strictly on demand, as well as equipment condition data confirming readiness for a given control strategy.

Additionally, the booth showcased flow control and overpressure protection technologies, non-contact temperature and flow measurement, and pipeline corrosion and erosion monitoring.

Plans and Commentary

Emerson intends to continue helping operators build continuously operating data centers as unified interconnected systems, leveraging technologies accumulated in the industrial sector.

Jong Jae Song, a representative of Korea Emerson, noted that the exhibition showcased ways to apply Emerson's industrial automation to data centers, and the company plans to continue supporting the efficiency and stability of clients' power and cooling infrastructure based on automation, measurement, valve, and equipment technologies.

Source: www.kharn.kr.